All Our Lifetimes
by Zarius
Summary: An emotional Sarah feels splintered, and everyone feels like they belong in a zoo, can The Doctor free her from her inner cage? (A rewrite of the final scene of "The Wedding of Sarah Jane")


**DOCTOR WHO**

**ALL OUR LIFETIMES**

**WRITTEN BY ZARIUS**

**(Based off a scene from "The Wedding of Sarah Jane" by Gareth Roberts)**

* * *

In the attic of her home on Bannerman Road, Sarah Jane Smith sat down and reflected on an emotional day.

Her beloved Peter had been taken from her, and the only other man she longed for had vanished without trace shortly after.

Her son Luke, along with his friends Clyde and Rani, still wearing their wedding attire, entered the loft to help comfort Sarah.

"Mum, are you all right?"

"Oh I'll be fine, I've got you haven't I?"

"I can't believe The Doctor would just up and leave like that" said Luke

"Vanishing acts are him all over" Sarah said, before shaking her head at the mere suggestion he'd be so neglectful.

"Silly woman, you didn't mean that" she whispered to herself.

Mr. Smith, her sentient computer, suddenly picked up an escalation of temporal flux building in the attic and alerted Sarah to the situation.

"It's got to be him" said Clyde.

"Oh mum, he didn't abandon you" said Luke.

Sarah permitted herself a hopeful smile as the TARDIS materialized before the group, the doors opened, and a fresh faced and energetic man familiar to all of them stepped through the doors

"Doctor" Sarah said, almost choking as her heart fluttered.

"What do you take me for Sarah? Just thought I'd go the quick way"

The Doctor took a swift look at his whereabouts.

"Oh, I like it, and a computer, you've got a computer" he said in amazement as he looked at Mr. Smith.

"Greetings Doctor" said Mr. Smith.

"And it talks; oh I've got to put something like you in the TARDIS sometime, mind you I wouldn't want to give it the opportunity to talk back at me"

"I'm sure it'd only want to say hello" said Luke.

"Can we have a look in your ship, that is, if you don't mind" said Rani.

"A look around the TARDIS? MY TARDIS?" The Doctor said, feigning insult and outrage, which seemed to induce, looks of strong disappointment in the children.

Sarah looked at The Doctor with careful eyes; she knew precisely what he'd do next

The Doctor quickly formed a mischievous and inviting smile.

"Course you can, yeah"

The kids enthusiastically dashed into the ship and were marvelled by its interior.

"Oh, wow. It really is, isn't it? It's bigger on the inside." Clyde said

"It's beautiful" remarked Rani

"Transcendental dimensions" Luke observed

Clyde began fidgeting with the controls on the console.

"Wow, what does this do? "

Sarah slapped his hand

"No touching" she said.

As the three friends went wild around the room, Sarah leaned back on one of the columns with The Doctor besides her doing the same.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I feel splintered, like half of me is wherever Peter's dear soul is now. Oh he was a marvellous man Doctor, at least in the end. He proved his worth, it cost him his place amongst the living, but he spared me from The Trickster, he spared us both really"

"I'm sorry Sarah; I wish I could have done more"

"No, you did just enough. That's all we ever_ can_ do Doctor, we all do our small part, but then we must eventually rely on the love we teach others to help us along the way. I taught Peter to love me, just as you taught me to love..."

"...Don't Sarah, now's not the time, you're still raw, still hurting"

Sarah reached out for The Doctor's hand; she clutched it and squeezed it tightly.

"You look like you're hurting too"

The Doctor stared blankly, looking towards the children and envying the fun they were having, it was all so wondrous to them, they didn't fully understand the cruelty an extended tour of the universe could inflict on them.

"I lost people Sarah, lost far too many, I lost Rose, I lost Donna, I lost Jo, I lost Adric, I lost you...all because I can never stand still, all because I risk their lives and all of mine again and again, maybe it's better if I have nobody"

"Never say that, you have access to the whole of time and space, you can drop in on anyone you lost at any point in their history, you can see them born, you can see them fall in love, and you can give them a winning lottery ticket. You can look back on their lives with pride, and who knows, you might pick up the courage to find them again. Just like you did me"

"It's never as easy as that Sarah"

"Oh don't be silly, of course it is, knowing what you're capable of. You don't have to be so unreliable"

Sarah stopped herself, realizing this is exactly what had motivated her to try and settle down with Peter in the first place.

"Oh you stubborn, selfish woman, you silly old thing" she said, covering her face with her right hand and trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"Am I something funny to you?" The Doctor asked.

"No, no, well, yes, in an odd way, we're all a bit of a joke, tripping up over our flaws, not recognising the inner strengths we're capable of until trouble comes calling, not understanding how much love we teach one another. It's cruel, it's cowardly, and we should never be that way, but we can't help it. We're such a zoo. What do you think?"

"I think you're still hurting" The Doctor remarked.

"I think you're still hurting and it's time to face that hurt, with as much strength as you can bear"

He leaned over to Sarah, who was now transitioning her emotional laughter into a sorrowful wail as the cost of the day finally overcame her.

She buried herself in The Doctor's arms, sobbing; The Doctor kissed her on the forehead.

Clyde, Rani and Luke stopped their bout of sightseeing and were transfixed by the display of raw emotion going on inside the ship.

"Your story isn't finished Sarah, were it up to me it'd outlast them all, even mine, but I've seen what you were before this, and I've seen what you are beyond this. Beyond the Zoo, I can't spoil that for you, but I can tell you that you make it through this"

"You're talking about the future? Could we take a trip there?" Clyde asked.

Luke elbowed him.

"Clyde, they're having a moment" he said.

"Thanks, I just wanted to _seize_ the moment" said Clyde.

"Can't we go to another planet instead? I want to know if rocks can talk" said Rani.

Sarah laughed and dried her eyes, leaning her head back on The Doctor's chest.

"No way. For one thing, you were grounded by the Judoon. And your parents would never forgive me. Now get a move on, the tour is over, you've had enough excitement"

"And what about you mum? Something tells me you haven't had your fill" said Luke.

"You think so?" she said, looking back at The Doctor's fair features with a twinkle in her eye.

The Doctor beamed.

"Oh alright, if you're up for it I'll take you to wherever you need to be"

"Florana, and step on it. Second chance honeymoon"

Sarah gave Luke a big hug, Luke smiled and exited the TARDIS with his friends, the doors shut behind him.

The Doctor operated the consoles with feverish intent.

"Florana it is, I'll make you forget the hurt Sarah, you have my guarantee"

"And we'll never trip over one another again, my guarantee to you" Sarah said.

"Acknowledged the only trip we'll be undertaking is the trip of a lifetime"

"And hopefully it lasts all our lifetimes" Sarah added.

Both looked at each other across the console, love and longing in their eyes, the switches were pulled, the wheezing groaning sound flooded the room, and the vessel headed towards its destination.


End file.
